Walt Disney World Park Hours, Disney Parades and Fireworks

Please Note: Park hours are released approximately 180 days in advance. Disney changes park hours often. We will do our best to keep these up to date. Please check back often. Report all discrepancies to parkhours@wdwinfo.com

The "Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade" celebrates New Fantasyland with new innovative floats, costumes and an all-new soundtrack that
features songs from popular Disney films. A new theme song has also
been developed for the parade. In this parade, we see nods to The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Dumbo, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Tangled and Brave, as well as many others.

The floats are designed to look as if they were created by the characters they represent and truly bring each story to life as it moves down the street.

Ariel and her friends ride on an oversized music box decorated like a colorful "Under the Sea" party.

One of the most impressive floats is the 35-feet-long, 26-feet-high Steampunk-inspired Maleficent Dragon from Sleeping Beauty. Thorn stilt-walkers walk alongside as Prince Phillip tries to fight them away.

Mickey and Minnie ride in a hot air balloon float surrounded by the dancing hippos from Fantasia.

The parade's finale is full of bubbles and circus tent-inspired costumes!

The night time spectacular is narrated by the voice of
Jiminy Cricket and the Blue Fairy. Guests of the Magic Kingdom are told a thrilling "story
in the sky" featuring hundreds of brilliant pyrotechnic
effects exploding above and around Cinderella Castle. Show Details

"Wishes"
is roughly five minutes longer and several times larger
than the long running fireworks show "Fantasy in
the Sky," which was previously being shown at the
Magic Kingdom.

The Storyline.
"Wishes" With the use of classic Disney songs
and well know Disney character voices, guests will be
told a story about making a wish come true, accented by
using timely choreographed fireworks.

Music
director: Steve Skorija - As music director
for Walt Disney Entertainment, Skorija oversees music
production for live entertainment and special events
at Walt Disney World Resort.

Composer/arranger: Gregory Smith - Smith previously worked on
such Walt Disney World productions as "IllumiNations
25" and "Splashtacular" at Epcot, and
the "Mickey Mania" parade at Magic Kingdom.

The
Music used in "Wishes"In
addition to Gregory Smith's original theme, which is based
on the children's nursery rhyme "Starlight, Star
Bright," the score for "Wishes" contains
portions of 12 songs from 10 classic Disney animated features:

.

"Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937) ,

"Pinocchio" (1940)

"Fantasia" (1940)

"Cinderella" (1950)

"Peter
Pan" (1953)

"Sleeping
Beauty" (1959)

"The
Little Mermaid" (1989)

"Beauty
and the Beast" (1991)

"Aladdin" (1992)

"Hercules" (1997)

.

The
Fireworks "Wishes" uses several new locations around the Magic Kingdom for
launching fireworks that create brilliant bursts of light
around Cinderella Castle. The show features new pyrotechnic
effects never seen before in a Disney theme park, including
several developed especially for this show:

The show's "wishing star" will crest approximately
100 feet above the castle's bright spires.
The Blue Fairy is represented with a spectacular star-shaped
shell that "paints" each wish high in the sky
with starlight.

.

"Wishes"
was created in honor of the launch of "Magical Gatherings",
a celebration of the magic that occurs when friends and
extended family members gather at the Magic Kingdom at
Walt Disney World Resort in the months to come. The show
is designed for a heart-tugging spectacle in the sky that
will create lasting memories for everyone to take home
with the

Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party

This event is subject to availability. Adults 10 and older are $49 and children 3-9 are $29, tax included. (Gratuity isn't required, but is an option if you so desire.) The Dessert Party begins one hour before Wishes, so the time will change depending on the night. You may want to double check your reservation time a couple of weeks before your trip.

The party includes a self-service buffet at the Tomorrowland Terrace with sweets, beverages and exclusive viewing of Wishes, the nightly fireworks. Guests will be able to enjoy a selection of desserts, such as
chocolate-dipped strawberries, chocolate mousse and ice cream, seasonal fruits, cheese, Disney character-themed
cupcakes and more. A sparkling cider toast will take place as the
fireworks begin. Other beverages include hot drinking chocolate,
signature lemonades, coffee and tea.

Reservations are not required, but are recommended as seating is limited. To reserve a space, prepayment is necessary. Space permitting, there may be seating available for walk-ups. Currently the Disney Dining Plan is not accepted. Reservations are available by calling 407-WDW-DINE. To read more about this event, Click Here.

Book a boat to take you out on Bay Lake for a private fireworks viewing!

Main Street Electrical Parade

The classic Main Street Electrical Parade returns! It will be performed for an extended run. No end date has been announced for the parade. This classic parade includes new lighting effects and new technology to brighten it up! Tinker Bell leads the parade from a balloon's basket that floats above a magical fairy garden. A few other familiar characters join the parade as well. Pinocchio and the Pleasure Island boys can be seen and Snow White and her dwarfs accompany a diamond mine float. After you listen to the familiar catchy music guide the lighted floats down Main Street, it's time for the fireworks!

This high-energy parade heads down Main Street towards Cinderella Castle several times a day. Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy will host the party from atop giant gift box floats. Stitch, Phineas & Ferb, plus several other characters will join in the fun as well. It involves guest participation and includes contemporary songs, stilt walkers, and much more. The soundtrack features re-mixed classic party songs and guests will vote for one of three current hits to be played. Photos from the street party that are posted to Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #MoveItShakeItPics may be used in the finale. Formerly known as the Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Street Party.

This show replaces The Magic, The Memories and You! Unlike its predecessor, "Celebrate the Magic!" doesn't include guest
photos taken during the day at the park. Instead, it focuses on
Disney's long history of storytelling through film and animation. The
show begins with Tinker Bell flying around Cinderella Castle,
illuminating a pencil sketch of Walt Disney painting Mickey Mouse.
Tinker Bell sprinkles some pixie dust and the paintbrush comes to life,
painting scenes from various Disney films.

Guests will see favorites such as the Cheshire Cat from Alice in
Wonderland, Dumbo, and Pumbaa and Timon from Lion King. The castle will
transform itself into the apartment building from "Wreck-It Ralph,"
Merida's castle from Brave and Buzz Lightyear's spaceship.

During the winter holiday season, favorites scenes
from "The Magic, The Memories and You!" will be resurrected and the
castle will be covered in peppermint sticks and gingerbread as Santa
flies by.

More seasonal updates will be added, including favorite Disney
couples around Valentine's Day, the beach with Lilo, Stitch and the Little Mermaid
during the summer and the Disney villains at Halloween. "Celebrate the
Magic!" will be shown most evenings at the Magic Kingdom.

IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert PartyEnjoy a special fireworks viewing area and desserts from around World Showcase paired with sparkling wines. Desserts offered will include tiramisu from Italy, vanilla pot de creme from France, shortbread cookies from the United Kingdom, baklava from Morocco, sugar-dusted cronis with strawberry sauce from America and a variety of ice cream treats.

Cost is $49 per adult and $29 per child (includes tax and gratuity). The Party will be held Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7:45-9:20pm. Advance reservations are recommended. Epcot park admission is required and not included in price of Party. Call 407-WDW-PLAY for reservations or information.

IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth is the recipient of Amusement Today's 2006 Golden Ticket Award in recognition of being the top evening show in an American theme park

Opened: Oct. 1, 1999Show length: 12 minutes,
32 seconds
A nighttime spectacular where thunderous fireworks and
lasers fill the skies above World Showcase Lagoon. Video
images are displayed across a giant sphere in the middle
of the lagoon that tell the Earth's incredible tale. The
sphere then blossoms like a flower, exposing a ball of
fire and leads to the shows finale.

Fun
Facts - 1,105
firework shells are fired during each show.There
are 19 torches located around the World Showcase Lagoon. The
inferno barge weighs 150,000 pounds with 37 nozzles that
shoot propane flames upward.

For an extremely informative column on the history and details of Illuminations, click here.

Fantasmic! is a festival of lasers, lights,
dancing fountains, and dazzling special effects. Join
Mickey Mouse is his dream where he creates dancing waters,
shooting comets, animated fountains, and swirling stars.
When Disney villains turn his dreams into nightmares,
he uses the power of good to prevail. More information

FUN FACTS:
- The moat surrounding the show contains approximately
1.9 million gallons of water.
- The mountain stands approximately 57.5 feet above
the water.
- The fire-breathing dragon rises 50 feet into the air
and has a wing span of 50 feet.

This nightly "parade" was first performed on October 26, 1971 during the dedication of the Polynesian Luau. While old-fashioned by today's standards, it's still fun to head to the resort beachfronts to watch it go by. The water pageant can be seen from the boat-loading are at the Magic Kingdom, as well as all each resort around Bay Lake. It normally starts at 9:00 each night, but check the Times Guide to be sure. There are two segments, one is a King Neptune theme, the other a salute to America.